A Deal's a Deal
by talklove
Summary: “Tell you what, Granger,” He pulled her closer to him, “I’ll help you out with quidditch if you agree to tutor me in Runes.” Hermione stared at him dumbfounded, uncomfortable with the small distance between her and Malfoy.
1. The Proposition

It was Christmas time. White jackets of soft snow covered the grounds of Hogwarts. Christmas decorations were strewn all throughout the buildings: ribbons on the walls, bells on doors, and a giant Christmas tree right outside the Main Hall. There was that jolly feeling and sweet atmosphere, since the most exciting holiday of the year had finally come. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg filled the air.

Students were getting ready to take their leave for the break, eager to get out of school and submerge themselves with food and presents at home. The students that were about to part were waiting in front of the tall main entrance, chattering away with each other in chipper spirits. Harry and Ron were among them.

"Come on, Hermione!" Ron insisted, "You should come with us, Mum would be pleased to see you over break." Harry and Ron were going to spend their Christmas at the Burrow, glad to escape anything that had to do with school and schoolwork. "Yeah Hermione," Harry added, "It wouldn't feel right without you."

Hermione was standing in front of her friends, arms crossed and smiling, "No, it's fine. I'll just stay here; I wouldn't want to impose on your mum, Ron. Aren't Charlie and Bill coming home? Oh, there wouldn't be any room." Unlike the rest of her peers, Hermione was one of the few who were going to remain at Hogwarts, since her parents were visiting her mother's sister. She wasn't very fond of her mean aunt anyway.

But secretly, she also had another reason to stay. After all the years of taking "Hermione, you can't fly a broom for your life!", "Herm, don't kid yourself, just stay inside and study, you might kill yourself riding a broom" and everything of that sort from Ron, she had had it. She was determined to prove to him, and everyone, that she was not just a bushy haired, know-it-all that can't fly. With everyone gone for the Christmas season, she figured that this was the perfect time to try and hone her very weak flying skills.

"Aw, alright 'Mione," Ron sighed, defeated. Even if she decided to go with them, it was too late; the time already came for the students to leave. "Well, I guess its good bye for now, until after the holidays of course," Harry smiled at Hermione, before giving her a tight hug. "Yeah," Ron gave her a hug next, "Take care of yourself, 'Mione, and don't get lonely." And they were gone.

Hermione sighed as the tall entrance doors closed. 'Hmmm…I wonder what I should do now…' she thought to herself. She didn't feel like going out into the quidditch pitch right at the moment, it was too soon she decided, so she decided to go to the library to get ahead in her Runes translations. She'd go out to the quidditch pitch in an hour or two.

Hermione went up to her empty dorm and gathered the necessary things that she needed. Before she left her dorm, her eyes caught sight of the quidditch handbook she had borrowed from Ginny. 'Hm,' she though, 'I guess I'd better take this.' And she headed down to the library.

The library was completely empty, even the libriarian was nowhere in sight. She went down the rows and tried to find a seat near the Runes section. Being near the books all about Runes would be easier than sitting somewhere else and having to walk all the way to the Runes section to get what she needed. When she came upon the right row, she stopped when she saw who was there, too.

"Why, hello there, Mudblood," Draco Malfoy smirked, "Didn't know you come to the library." Hermione rolled her eyes at his sarcasm. Draco was sitting at a desk up against the bookshelf. Books were scattered on the desk all open, a long piece of parchment sat on his right and a quill inside an ink container sat on his left.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" She asked, irritated. The very being of him just sitting there a few feet away disgusted her.

"What am I doing? What does it look like I'm doing?" he scoffed, turning his attention back to his paper, "And I thought you were the insufferable know-it-all." Hermione let out a big sigh. Should she choose somewhere else to sit? No, she really didn't feel like moving anywhere else. So she took the desk right across from Malfoy and sat down. She could just handle him just this once.

It was silent for a while as both of them worked. Only the sound of scratching quills could be heard. Hermione was concentrating and working hard on her translations, grabbing every book in her reach and flipping furiously through the pages.

"Hey Granger," a voice suddenly said behind her ear. She screamed and dropped the book that was in her hands. She whirled around to see Malfoy standing right behind her, holding a Runes textbook and looking at her like she had said something utterly ridiculous.

"Bloody hell, Granger," Draco said, "All I said was your name. No need to jump like that."

"Well, if you hadn't noticed," Hermione retorted, "I was concentrating on my homework, so if you'll excuse me, let me be so I can finish this up." Draco raised a sleek eyebrow.

"I was just going to ask you to help me," he said. Then he smirked, "Of course, why would I pass up the help of Miss I-Know-Everything?" She scowled at him, "What do you want?"

"Translate this for me, Mudblood," he said coolly, holding out the textbook opened to page 120, "It's got me stumped and I frankly don't want to spend another hour trying to decipher it." Hermione quickly translated out loud it for him, also noticing that this was the total basic form of Ancient Runes. But the supposedly genius pure-blood couldn't understand it?

After she translated the last line, she looked up at Draco with a disapproving look, "Are you daft? This is as basic as it gets and you're not intelligent enough to translate it?" Draco glared at her.

"Well, I'm sorry that I'm not as much of a Know-it-all as you, Mudblood," he spat. He paused. "I'm horrible at Runes," he muttered. Hermione rolled her eyes, "Yes, so I see. Now, if you haven't got anything else to bother me with, leave me alone." She turned her back to him without waiting for his response.

Draco stared at her back for a moment before saying, "Hey Granger." Hermione sighed, dropped her quill and turned her head, "What?"

"Want to be my tutor for Ancient Runes?" He didn't even know what he was saying. Of course, he needed help with his Runes but why is he asking the MUDBLOOD for help? Hermione stared at him with eyebrows raised. After she comprehended what he just said, her brows fell.

"No, go find someone else who cares," she said. She glanced at the clock. It had been two hours since she came to the library. Now it was time to go to the Quidditch Pitch. She quickly gathered her things and got up from her seat. She was about to walk out when Draco grabbed her arm and said, "Where do you think you're going?"

Hermione glared at him, "None of your business. Now let me go." "Not until you say yes to tutoring me in Runes," he said flatly.

"No, so let me go Malfoy before I punch you again."

Draco suddenly remembered the feeling of her fist colliding with his cheek back in 3rd year. No one had ever hit him before and let him tell you, it hurt. And he got hit by a girl. He did not want that happening again.

Then his grey eyes landed on a book that Hermione held in her arms. 'A Guide to Quidditch' it read. He didn't know why she even had the book identical to what he had. His eyes suddenly gleamed, realizing an opportunity even though he didn't entirely understand why she had the book in the first place. But there wasn't another reason why she would have it.

"Tell you what, Granger," He pulled her closer to him, "I'll help you out with quidditch if you agree to tutor me in Runes." Hermione stared at him dumbfounded, uncomfortable with the small distance between her and Malfoy, "Wh-what? I don't know what you're talking about. Quidditch?"

Draco scoffed and nodded at the book in her arms, "You think that I'm blind enough to not see _that_, eh Granger?" She bit her lip. Of all the people to find out about her secret beforehand, it just had to be Malfoy, the cursed ferret.

"So what do you say, Granger?" Draco smirked, "Is it a deal?" Oh how she hated that signature Draco Malfoy smirk. But she had to admit, it was attractive.

After a few seconds, and without even thinking, Hermione blurted out, "Fine." Draco then let go of her arm and sneered.

"Alright, then, Granger. Let's start business tomorrow."


	2. Day One: Flying

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE PLEASE READ!: **__Hello there. This is the second chapter in my fanfic A Deal's a Deal. Please bear with me that I can't update as often as others, but I will definitely try to! Also,__** I've decided to integrate my other Dramione story called "Upsidedown" into this one.**__ Oh, and one more thing, I know I have been receiving Story Alerts for this particular story, but please, __**drop a review also! I would like some feedback. (:**_

**XoXoXoX**

'I must be out of my mind,' Hermione thought to herself as she made her way down to the Quidditch locker rooms next to the Quidditch Pitch. On her back was a parcel that she had stuffed with a big bottle of water (which she particularly thought she would need), an extra shirt, Quidditch practice robes from Ginny, and Quidditch gloves she had also borrowed from Ginny. She was on her way down to meet Malfoy to begin her Quidditch training session for the day. It was decided that he would train her for about three hours a day, four max.

Hermione did not know why she even agreed to his little proposition: to teach him Runes while he trained her in Quidditch. If Harry, Ron or Ginny found out about this- they would flip. But her ego got the best of her. She needed to prove Ron wrong, lest she would continue to deal with his constant babblings.

Hermione's bushy curls flowed with the wind as she made her way down the hill to the entrance of the boys' locker room _(AN: Don't really know where the locker room is)_. She pushed the wooden door open with a big creak and walked right in. Inside were rows of lockers and to the right were the showers, urinals and toilets. The mere sight of urinals disgusted her, giving her a reminder that she was indeed in a boys' locker room.

"Malfoy?" she called, not wanting to go through ever row to look for the ferret.

"Finally here, eh Mudblood?" Draco's voice echoed in the locker room. Hermione followed where his voice came from. When she finally found him in the fifth row, he was finishing putting on his practice robes and his gloves, "Overslept I presume? What, having a wet dream with Weasel?" he smirked.

"Oh can it, Malfoy," Hermione put her parcel down on the bench next his locker and began to take Ginny's practice robes out, "It's seven in the morning and I really don't feel like dealing with your annoying antics." She pulled the robes over her head while Malfoy laced his shoes, sitting on the bench.

"So," Draco began, eyeing her carefully, "Why the sudden interest in Quidditch Granger? I don't believe I asked you that yet." Hermione put on Ginny's gloves.

"Well, that's not really any of your business, Malfoy," she said flatly. He glared at her.

"Oh yes it is you filthy Mudblood," he snarled, "I woke up early on a Saturday morning to train you while I could be sleeping soundly in my bed to gain back my much needed sleep. I have the right to know." Hermione sighed and looked at him, annoyed.

"Fine," she said, "I'm just tired of Ronald pestering me about my flying skills. I just want to prove to him, when he gets back, that even I, a "know-it-all bookworm", can do it too. And if you even dare to laugh at me, I swear on Merlin that I'll have you puking slugs like Ron in 2nd year." But Draco did not laugh, which actually surprised her. He just looked at her for a few moments, then sat up from the bench.

"Sit," he commanded pointing to the bench opposite of him, right behind Hermione. She stared at him, not wanting to obey him, but she did anyway.

"This is the first part in your training Granger," he began, starting to pace back and forth in front of Hermione, hands behind his back, eyes transfixed on her, "First off: I will explain to you what the game of Quidditch really is-" Hermione cut him off.

"Yes, it's just a mindless game of throwing balls through hoops while riding on top of a broom," she said boringly, "Can't we just get outside and start?" Draco stopped pacing and glared at her, "WILL you let me finish, Mudblood?" She piped down.

"Alright, first of all, Quidditch is NOT just a 'mindless game of throwing balls through hoops'," he said seriously, "It is a very serious game of strategy, agility, perseverance, strength and teamwork. And frankly, Granger, if you don't see this as serious business, we might as well just stop before we begin. I really don't feel like wasting three hours a day to train YOU." Hermione frowned but nodded. "Continue."

"Second," Draco continued, "When I'm through with you, you'll be able to fly circles around that Weasel." He said that with a sneer on his face. "So be prepared to be worked over, Granger. Now let's be off."

Draco walked to a tall, wide cabinet where the practice brooms were stored, with Hermione on his heels. He opened it and took out two brooms. They both walked out to the Quidditch pitch with exchanging glances or words. When they were in the middle of the pitch, Draco stood holding his broom like staff and put his free hand on his hip.

"Alright now Mudblood, first thing's first. You need the basics. Do you remember back in first year in our first flying class? Madam Hooch taught us the 'up' exercise. So let's begin with that. Simple?" He laid down his broom in front of him, held out his hand and said, "Up." The broom automatically rose up into his hold. "Now you try."

Hermione remembered. She had not done well. She had watched everyone else's' success with their brooms while hers was still lying on the ground. She nervously laid down her broom and held out her hand.

"Now with feeling," Draco instructed, "Make it sound like more than a command, make it a _demand_. Say, 'UP'." Hermione took in a deep breath before uttering, "UP!" The broom merely wiggled on the ground. She let out an exasperated sigh. "UP!" she yelled. The broom only rose slightly.

"Wow," Draco snickered, "you really don't have any talent in flying don't you?"

"Oh shut up!" Hermione said, face red, "Now are you going to help me or not, ferret?" Draco stopped snickering and his face turned serious.

"You're not saying it with enough feeling, you're just yelling at the bloody broom. Now, one more time. Don't look at the broom as if it were just a mere inanimate object. Imagine it as a dog. Say it with more umph. UP."

Hermione sighed again and raised her hand. She stared at the broom. "UP." The broom, slowly but successfully, rose up to her grip. She smiled and laughed. "I actually did it!" Draco yawned.

"Great, great, now time to move on. We're going to skip the safety procedures because, frankly, I see no use in them. It's all about natural instinct anyway." Hermione looked at him with her mouth open.

"Are you mad! I need to know, otherwise I'll end up face first on the ground!" She said. Draco just sneered, "No you won't. Even a talentless flyer like you can just simply kick of the ground and float for thirty seconds, right Mudblood?."

"Oh," Hermione said, she had thought that they were jumping right into real flying, "Well that sounds easy enough. Alright let's do it." They both got on their brooms, Hermione waiting for Draco's next instructions.

"Here is what you do," he started to explain, "You make sure your grip on the broom is secure, you wouldn't want it slipping, yes that's right. Right over left- yes like that. Next, you just lightly kick off with your dominant foot. Like this." Draco kicked off with his right foot and rose about ten feet off the ground. "Now, give it a go."

'This shouldn't be that hard,' she thought to herself 'If a dimwit like Ronald can do this, then I can too.' She smiled to herself half confidently. Hermione gripped the broom as tight as she could, looked about her surroundings and took a deep breath.

Without even thinking she kicked off the ground with her right foot, a little too hard and up she went...but zooming out of control. Her broom was going left and right and jerking up and down, going in spirals, through the hoops, and around the whole field. All that time, Hermione was screaming at the top of her lungs. Her grip on the broom was sweating like mad and slipping and she was running out of breath.

But suddenly, amid one of the broom's crazy spirals, her broom stopped. She was upside down, her hair flowing with the wind. "You're hopeless, Granger," Draco sneered. He held out his wand, keeping Hermione in place.

"MALFOY! Get me down this instant!" Hermione shrieked, closing her eyes not daring to look down. She had forgotten her deadly fear of heights. Her blood was quickly running to her head and suddenly she felt light headed.

Draco just laughed, "Do you really think, Granger that I would pass up this ridiculously hilarious scene? Mhmm, I don't think so." Hermione just wanted to sock that sneer off of his face. But of course, she couldn't, because she was hanging upside down. "I'm just going to sit here and watch you squirm." He said, still having that sneer on his lips.

"DRACO MALFOY!" Hermione yelled, "GET ME DOWN! Or I swear, I'll hex you to the next century!" "Oooh, that's very intimidating, Mudblood," he laughed, "But sure, I'll let you down. All you have to do is say, 'Draco Malfoy is the best and most handsome wizard I have ever laid my eyes on." This made his sneer grow even wider.

Hermione was dumbfounded. "Can't you just let me down, you stupid little ferret!" she squeaked. Too much blood was in her head now. She felt like fainting. Her vision had gone read But, she was defeated so she started to say, "Oh alright….. Draco Malfoy is…" There was too much blood. Hermione fainted and her grip on her broom had slipped. Draco's eyes flashed open as he saw her body fall to the ground.

"That bloody Mudblood!" He clenched his teeth, quickly put his wand in the inner pocket of his cloak and dove down. He felt the wind on his face as he tried to catch up with Hermione's falling body. He reached out his arm as if to grab hers. And just right before Hermione could hit the ground; Draco caught her in his arms.

His broom slowed to a stop at the end of the field and he looked at her face. She was completely passed out and her face was red. "Tch," Draco muttered, "Always causing the trouble, eh, Granger?" but he knew it was his fault. If Dumbledore found out of anything about this, he knew he'd have great consequences.

He'd never really noticed her face before. He had never noticed how smooth looking her skin was or how full her lips were. She looked peaceful, even passed out. Draco had the urge to touch her face…

'What the hell am I thinking?' he thought to himself, shaking his head. He sighed. Then, he began his way back to the locker room, Hermione in his arms.

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**Please review! I would like feeback! It would help a bunch. **


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